The Twofold Houses

[Murkus]

[Trip with a Raptor]

Lucy gives Coco one last good rub on the snout and giggles, letting the raptor go.

"You might as well start your own school, at this point," Adir muses to Wenomir.

Lucy beams at David's acknowledgement. She wasn't actually there for David's acquisition, but she's very familiar with him. He's become something of a family favorite. "That's right! This is David Chewie Chompers. Our goblin friends helped get him! There are a lot of them at GLoG, and they all have a billion relatives. We've even visited a couple of times. They have giant beetles, too!" And lots of relatives means lots of potential friends! "David's much quicker than he looks! And he likes exploring. Isn't that right David?"

She puts a small hand on the molerat's head. David chitters and shifts his paws, stamping them almost one atop the other for a moment, as though trying to knead the floor. He sticks his head out - revealing a surprisingly long neck, almost like a seal stretching out of its blubber - to give Coco a brief sniff. He seems to accept her presence... for now! And will wobble forward to make his way down the steps past Wenomir's feet with inchworm-y movements.

"I guess that's a yes," Adir says, and Lucy giggles. The two Frescots step forward to start on their way. Adir dons a small backpack on the way, carrying various dad-things and sensible items like water and snacks.

[Gullara]

[Trip with a Raptor]

Coco seems absolutely thrilled by the affection she's receiving. She stays still, craning her neck to give the girls better access and makes quiet cooing noises.

"Yes, he's Cassandra's little brother. He's been a bit sheltered until now, but he started studying swordplay alongside Cora." Wenomir looks down at David. "Is this plump gentleman coming along too? You had to go underground to get him, didn't you?"

[Trip with a Raptor]

Lucy gives Coco one last good rub on the snout and giggles, letting the raptor go.

"You might as well start your own school, at this point," Adir muses to Wenomir.

Lucy beams at David's acknowledgement. She wasn't actually there for David's acquisition, but she's very familiar with him. He's become something of a family favorite. "That's right! This is David Chewie Chompers. Our goblin friends helped get him! There are a lot of them at GLoG, and they all have a billion relatives. We've even visited a couple of times. They have giant beetles, too!" And lots of relatives means lots of potential friends! "David's much quicker than he looks! And he likes exploring. Isn't that right David?"

She puts a small hand on the molerat's head. David chitters and shifts his paws, stamping them almost one atop the other for a moment, as though trying to knead the floor. He sticks his head out - revealing a surprisingly long neck, almost like a seal stretching out of its blubber - to give Coco a brief sniff. He seems to accept her presence... for now! And will wobble forward to make his way down the steps past Wenomir's feet with inchworm-y movements.

"I guess that's a yes," Adir says, and Lucy giggles. The two Frescots step forward to start on their way. Adir dons a small backpack on the way, carrying various dad-things and sensible items like water and snacks.

[Trip with a Raptor]

Jillian sighs, a touch dramatic. "Everyone's so obsessed with swords. We don't even have tea when Lucien comes over because Cora can't keep still. It's just swords swords swords." Jillian laments, apparently not directing any of this complaint toward Wenomir despite his association.

Complaints aside, Jillian accompanies the group as they leave the doorway. She doesn't have much to add to the pet conversation just yet.

[Morty]

[Trip with a Raptor]

"Lucien likes tea, so I'm sure a tea party can be arranged sometime." Wenomir is putting a perhaps strange amount of effort into making sure Lucien has friends. "They have lots of relatives? Why, sounds like someone else I know." Looking up from the kids to Adir, he adds: "I only have six students so far... but back home, that would qualify me for starting a school. If anyone were to take me seriously as a master. And if I had a last name to bestow on it."

Coco is eager to go, but Wenomir is keeping her on a leash for now. He'll let her run freely later.

[Shadowcaller]

[The Widening Gyre]

The skyships were supposed to be ready to go at any time and this was no exception, since time was usually of the essence when VIGIL were doing nearly anything.
And Cessie found this to be more important than most things even if she had no idea the breach had been this close to the Frescot manor.

"Jace, make sure that the Frescot family is safe. I'm going to head straight for the rift." She orders as she steps off the ramp. She was in her full battle armor for the occasion. A rarity these days as most missions didn't require her personal presence. But this one was an exception in more than one way for this reason.

[Rebonack]

[The Widening Gyre]

The breach here is clearly different from the anomaly that had formed above the VIGIL base. It's smaller, for sure. More irregular, as if it could destabilized at any moment. It (thankfully) lacks the great anchor device that had harpooned the island and the streets of Inside and instead appears as merely a churning cloud with unearthly light flickering through it.

There doesn't appear to be a great deal of damage, aside from the tree that was split by a lightning bolt. Fell wind whips through the treetops with a sound unnervingly similar to a great serpent coiling through the leaves.

While the eyes of our heroes are turned skyward the tiny lightning serpent, hidden in the grass around the house's foundation, is slowly slithering out of sight in search of a way in.

[Wolfbane]

Great Assets - Evening Tea

Cessie smiles wryly as Jezebel says the word 'brood'. "'Brood'? Now using that word is one of the few ways you can get yourself in her bad book, Jezzy and I wouldn't recommend it. Since don't let her calm demeanor fool you, she can be fierce when she's defending her children and won't need a single weapon to intimidate someone. I've seen it."

She winks. "So first promise me that'll you be on your best behavior, okay? Otherwise you might actually ruin my good name like the delinquent you are."

Great Assets - Evening Tea

Jezebel sticks out her tongue a little bit, clearly teasing and enjoying being teased in return. "Then how about...a cabbage patch of babies? I've heard stories of that being an excuse of saying where babies are from." She offers with a laugh and a shake of her head. "I promise I won't ruin your good name, and I will definitely be polite and watch my language. I fully believe that Sakura could stare down a daemon and would have no wish to be on the receiving end of such wrath. I would rather tangle with a literal mother bear..." She admits.

"But delinquent...I could show up on a motorcycle. Charles has one stashed away and that's the one vehicle I am adept at driving, believe it or not." A pause as she considers what she said. "And do actually believe it please, I'm not fully incompetent at driving. Only mostly."

[Murkus]

[Trip with a Raptor]

Lucy catches Wenomir's meaning, and she giggles. She doesn't mind the chatter about swords as much as Jillian, but that might be because she can't sit still for long either.

"Well, hey, you aren't back home. I doubt there's anybody around these parts who wouldn't take you seriously... at least after they see what you can do. And I guess... you could always put Cass's last name on it." Adir waggles his eyebrows to go along with the implication, but he pauses. What if they don't have one either? He doesn't actually know. How do these people go around with only one name?

David looks back at the others from the edge of the yard, as though to prompt the slowpokes to get moving. He doesn't get a leash. The Frescots seem to trust him enough to go on his own... Or rather, animals tend to be very loyal to the kids, and Adir's people don't use leashes for any beast.

"No pressure, of course. You just... seem to like teaching. Or you've got a knack for it. Or both," Adir finishes.

[Keeper]

The Widening Gyre

Jace nods, and charges off to the front door of the home, where he-
remembers that he does not have hands to knock with.
Luckily he has a familiar to do that for him. Zebes raps on the door with a claw, amplifying the noise a bit with magic.
"Mrs Frescot? I'm with Vigil, are you alright?" calls Jace with a wave of his horn.
About half of the Frescot children will recognize the blue unicorn at the door. Slim, elegant, with glowing blue symbols over his coat and a blue cloak around his neck and a slightly curved, blade-like horn. Especially with the shiny gold-copper dragon sitting on his back. Adir met Jace at the Halloween party but Sakura and Cessie were distracted by ghost dogs at the time.

[Gullara]

[The Widening Gyre]

Sakura opens the door, and there's not yet any kids in sight. Of course, there appears to be a length of ahll before any proper living spaces, so perhaps that's to be expected. "Oh good, you're here. Everyone's fine. We're just making sure all the kids stay in one place, but there hasn't been any troubles inside." There's a dash of pink peaking out from a ways down the hall and to the left, but it's not immediately apparent which child decided to peak out briefly.

[Trip with a Raptor]

"Lucien likes tea, so I'm sure a tea party can be arranged sometime." Wenomir is putting a perhaps strange amount of effort into making sure Lucien has friends. "They have lots of relatives? Why, sounds like someone else I know." Looking up from the kids to Adir, he adds: "I only have six students so far... but back home, that would qualify me for starting a school. If anyone were to take me seriously as a master. And if I had a last name to bestow on it."

Coco is eager to go, but Wenomir is keeping her on a leash for now. He'll let her run freely later.

[Trip with a Raptor]

Lucy catches Wenomir's meaning, and she giggles. She doesn't mind the chatter about swords as much as Jillian, but that might be because she can't sit still for long either.

"Well, hey, you aren't back home. I doubt there's anybody around these parts who wouldn't take you seriously... at least after they see what you can do. And I guess... you could always put Cass's last name on it." Adir waggles his eyebrows to go along with the implication, but he pauses. What if they don't have one either? He doesn't actually know. How do these people go around with only one name?

David looks back at the others from the edge of the yard, as though to prompt the slowpokes to get moving. He doesn't get a leash. The Frescots seem to trust him enough to go on his own... Or rather, animals tend to be very loyal to the kids, and Adir's people don't use leashes for any beast.

"No pressure, of course. You just... seem to like teaching. Or you've got a knack for it. Or both," Adir finishes.

[Trip with a Raptor]

Jillian looks quite pleased with this answer from Wenomir. That would be nice. With that matter settled for now, she turns her focus outward. Catching how far the mole rat has gotten ahead of them, Jillian has a mind to preempt the reaction she expects to come from Lucy seconds later. "David's gonna leave us behind if we don't hurry." She claims, while lifting her skirts so she can hurry forward to catch up with him.

[Morty]

[Trip with a Raptor]

"That I could. And maybe I will, someday." He has ambivalent feelings about the concept of marriage. He wouldn't be opposed, but... he and Cassandra both have a decidedly irreverent approach to formal institutions. "That would make me Wenomir Lee. Wenomir Chociemirowicz Lee, to be precise." He rubs his chin. "You're right, though. I do enjoy teaching. I took to it better than I had expected and by now it's a habit. Maybe it's my pride. I enjoy being someone others look up to."

He looks down to Jillian when she urges them to hurry.

"It wouldn't do to make David wait for us. Let's pick up the pace. And..." He leans down to unlatch Coco's harness from the leash he's holding. "This is open enough space to let Coco run free. She's been tugging at her leash very insistently."

Sure enough, the small fluffy raptor is off like a cannonball, scurrying back and forth to take in every part of their surroundings.

[Shadowcaller]

Great Assets - Evening Tea

Jezebel sticks out her tongue a little bit, clearly teasing and enjoying being teased in return. "Then how about...a cabbage patch of babies? I've heard stories of that being an excuse of saying where babies are from." She offers with a laugh and a shake of her head. "I promise I won't ruin your good name, and I will definitely be polite and watch my language. I fully believe that Sakura could stare down a daemon and would have no wish to be on the receiving end of such wrath. I would rather tangle with a literal mother bear..." She admits.

"But delinquent...I could show up on a motorcycle. Charles has one stashed away and that's the one vehicle I am adept at driving, believe it or not." A pause as she considers what she said. "And do actually believe it please, I'm not fully incompetent at driving. Only mostly."

Great Assets - Evening Tea

"I think you should workshop these with Sakura, not me." Cessie declares with a grin. "But I'm not gonna come for your help if she gives you the glare. That will be all on you."

She laughs lightly before her attention is turned to the matter of the motorcycle. "Really? Here I thought you were almost a professional at it. I guess your background had me fooled or the fact you own one at all. I had pictured you driving in and performing some kind of trick in front of the kids."

A beat.

She raises her hand.

"Please don't take this as me pressuring you, Jezz." She adds with a laugh. "Just don't feel like you have to do anything. I'm confident the kids will like you either way."

[The Widening Gyre]

The breach here is clearly different from the anomaly that had formed above the VIGIL base. It's smaller, for sure. More irregular, as if it could destabilized at any moment. It (thankfully) lacks the great anchor device that had harpooned the island and the streets of Inside and instead appears as merely a churning cloud with unearthly light flickering through it.

There doesn't appear to be a great deal of damage, aside from the tree that was split by a lightning bolt. Fell wind whips through the treetops with a sound unnervingly similar to a great serpent coiling through the leaves.

While the eyes of our heroes are turned skyward the tiny lightning serpent, hidden in the grass around the house's foundation, is slowly slithering out of sight in search of a way in.

[The Widening Gyre]

Normally, Cessie would burn away all the underbrush. All the places the enemies could hide in. It was destructive but it served a purpose and you couldn't afford to take any risks in this kind of job.

Except this time. Since there were children here and just the smoke it would produce could harm them, not to mention the long lasting effects of burning this area.

So she was going to have to do things differently.
Conjuring a second set of eyes in an magma elemental she then stops a fair distance away from the breach. Where enemies couldn't use tall grass or other obscuring terrain to sneak up on her. Then while the elemental keeps an eye on her surroundings she starts channeling another form of spell.
Would take just a few seconds...

[Murkus]

[Trip with a Raptor]

David plops his rump down and sits like an attentive dog, at least long enough for Jillian to make it there, but he still looks like he's timing the group. Lucy scuttles to catch up, threatening to overtake everyone just as Jillian suspected. When the ladies make it to him, David chitters up at Jillian, his whiskers twitching. Then he hops over a small fallen log and continues his wobbling, oddly fast little run. "Now he thinks we're playing!" Lucy giggles airily, jumping the log herself.

He won't get too far ahead though. Gradually the giant mole rat will scurry close to Coco again, scurrying away if she reacts, then doing the same thing all over again. He cranes out his neck from his rubbery body like a seal, sniffing the air. His excitement only seems to increase exponentially, and likely soon he's chasing (or being chased) all over the place.

Thinking on Wenomir's words, Adir looks fondly at Lucy. "I know the feeling. But wanting to be looked up to can make you better in a lot of ways, too."

The stag will hustle a little of course if the animals or the girls (or both) make him do so. His long legs carry him easily, and he moves (unsurprisingly) like he was born to the forest. He doesn't even look down at smaller obstacles in the trail.

"That..." Adir laughs. "Has got to be the strangest pet I've ever seen. And I have David." He raises his eyebrows. "What do you even feed her?"